Pitts - Studio Pottery Marks Query

by Barbara Rutledge
(Naples Florida)

Pitts - Studio Pottery Marks Query:- Thank you so much for your web-site. What are the "strange" marks on my little clay pot w/lid? I purchased a little pot at a white elephant thrift shop in Naples, Florida today. I bought it because I liked it. The colors are neutral, (browns/tan) and the clay is a creamy color that might be classified as almond, depending on the time frame. There are specks of color that appear to be mixed into the clay rather than just surface color.

The marks on the bottom indicate the potter and date (I suppose)and on the very bottom edge of the pot are three symbols. I will try to describe as best I can.....

Pitts (someone's signature)

74 (date)

Three marks stamped close together are:

a triangle, 1 (looks like number one without the bottom bar), and what appears to be an incomplete, circle, O (possibly the pressure used when stamping was not perfectly even).

I do realize the pot is a mere 35 years old, but it would be interesting to know where it might have originated. I do enjoy imagining a story the piece could tell if it could speak.

Thank you so much for your web-site. The help is most appreciated.

Respectfully

Barbara Rutledge

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Reply by Peter (admin)

Nice query from Naples Florida.

Thanks for you query. Well, you have been busy in Naples today. I used to spend some time in your neck of the wood (a few miles due east of you down route 75 in Fort Lauderdale).

Again its difficult for me to know too much about the pot without a photo, but it sounds like you have just bought a very nice 'thrown' studio pot. I am not familiar with the markings.

I don't have any reference book on American studio potters, but here's one of my little secrets (just between you and me - don't tell anyone else).

I put a specially coded search into Google and came up with some names of famous American studio potters called 'Pitts'.

The search was this little phrase together with all the quotes and plus and minus signs:

pitts +'studio potter' -Pittsburgh -brad

Google told me the names of all these American studion potters called Pitts:

Julia Pitts
Peggy Pitts
Michael Pitts
Perry Walmsley-Pitts
Rosemary Pitts

You are right this pot has a story to tell. Which of the names does it belong to? Check each of them out to see if they do your type of wares.

Happy antiquing and keep buying what you like. That way you can't ever go wrong! Let us know if you can reveal the story!

Peter (admin)

The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.

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